Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

BALTIMORE - The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad launched interstate travel from the east coast to mid-west America in the 1820's; that's why Baltimore is called 'The Birthplace of American Railroading.

Since 1953, the B&O Railroad Museum has been embracing that history, and this time of year the celebration revolves around the holidays.

"The B&O Railroad Museum is just like the North Pole," said Executive Director Courtney B. Wilson. "It's become a tradition, and I believe kids are genetically connected to trains. It is trains everywhere…so it's a wonderful time to come down and experience model and toy trains as well as the big trains."

Don't just think you can visit once and see everything. The museum is constantly updating their displays.

"We change the museum all the time with new programs, newly restored locomotives and cars," Courtney said. "Things do move around the campus and we have wonderful educational programs. We occasionally run classes on how to build a simple layout for these kids to learn and get into the hobby."

The holiday season is also a great opportunity to get your little conductors into the hobby to learn some tricks of the trade from the more veteran train collectors.

Courtney said, "You can start out simple with the small track and buy the houses and the signals and the people and just build your little town and you're little city up as it goes."

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.